Movie with a mission
Movie patrons in Kaitaia donated more than $1000 to two local families of teenagers who are battling cancer.
They were guests of members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who hosted a screening of Meet the Mormons at Te Ahu Cinema, specifically to support 14-year-old Georgia Buckingham and 16-year-old Te Amohaere Rudolph and their families.
Georgia, who was diagnosed with leukaemia on Christmas Eve last year, had recently returned home after five months of treatment at Starship Hospital in Auckland. Her father Glen and grandmother Valma Buckingham, attended the screening, Glen saying the family was going through a difficult time.
“We appreciate the love and support from you and the community,” he told the gathering.
Te Amo-haere was not well enough to attend the screening.
The evening was well supported by the church and wider community, including several police officers and their families, business leaders and teachers from the girls’ schools.
Meet the Mormons is a documentary, produced by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that profiles six members of the church from different parts of the world.
“This movie is all about faith, family and serving those around us,” Kaitaia church leader Trevor Beatson said.
“We thought the Kaitaia premiere screening was the perfect opportunity to put some of the principles of the movie into action, and see if we could help these two families by letting them know we love them and are here for them.”